Projectile with extra-sensitive head



Feb. 12, 1957 E. MIGLIACCIO 2,730,995

PROJECTILE WITH EXTRA-SENSITIVE HEAD Filed May 4, 1955 IN VEN TOR.

2,780,995 PROJECTILE WITH EXTRA-SENSITIVE EEAD Etereo Migliaccio, Colleferro, Rome, Italy, assignor to Bombrini, Parodi Delfino S. p. A., Rome, Italy, an Italian company Application May 4, 1953, Serial No. 352,702 Claims priority, application Italy July 9, 1952 8 Claims. (Cl. 102-66) The present invention relates to projectiles provided with a nose fuz-e adapted to function on impact with no striker or arming mechanism.

According to the invention the nose fuze comprises an igniting charge housed within a cavity provided in the ogival portion of the projectile and supported in the cavity by a disc of metal or other resistant material which closes an opening provided in the bottom of said cavity through which the flash istransmitted to a hash .tube or conduit, and a metal cap containing a detonating charge, inserted within the said cavity above the igniting charge and supported thereon, the said cap also serving to close the open end of the cavity. Further features of this projectile will be apparent from the following description of some forms of projectile, according to the invention, which vary in regard to the setting and to the quantity and quality of the bursting charge to give different effects while having the characteristic features of the invention.

Some preferred forms of projectile according to this invention are shown in the attached drawings, wherein: Fig. l is an axial sectional view of one form of projectile,

Fig. 2 is an axial sectional view of a projectile having a low armour piercing power and a high explosive and incendiary power, and v Fig. 3 is an axial sectional view of a projectile the nose of which is made of hardened steel.

Referring now to the drawings, it is to be noted that the corresponding parts have been marked in the various figures by corresponding numerical references. The projectile shown in Fig. 1 is essentially formed by a shell or body 1, containing in its cavity an incendiary charge 2 and a hollow bursting charge 3. The hollow charge- 3 is pierced along its central axis so as to receive the detonator formedby a metallic casing 4, a plug 5 and the detonating charge 6 for the bursting charge ,3. On

the metallic casing 4 rests the flash tube 7, the bottom of which is closed by a diaphragm 8. The nose fuse comprises a metallic cap 9 containing a d-etonating charge 10 which rests on an igniting charge 11 which in its turn is supported by a disc 12. The shell 1 is formed from a thick cylindrical steel block by means of a stamping operation, so that the quantity of the material used almost corresponds to the weight of the finished shell 1 and the loss of material is reduced to a minimum. The thickness of the base and side walls of the shell 1 varies in proportion to the stresses occurring in the respective portions of the shell during the travel-of the projectile within the barrel of the gun, in such a manner that the various parts of the shell are subjected to substantially equal stress, thereby reducing to the minimum the weight of the shell 1, to permit of an advantageous increase in the quantity of both the incendiary charge 2 and the bursting charge 3. The assemblage and the insertion of the charge within the projectile are particularfeatures of the invention. Thus when the shell 1 has been obtained, and its base shaped and providedwith the driving States Patent 0 hand 13 and then the shell is of cylindrical shape having Patented li'eb. 12, 1957 its outer diameter almost constant throughout its length, the incendiary charge 2 and the bursting charge 3 in the form of separately prepared cake are inserted under a required pressure. The incendiary charge 2 can be directly inserted within the projectile, while the detonator comprising the elements 6, 5 and 4 and the flash-tube 7, are arranged on the bursting charge 3 and submitted to a slight pressure. After these operations, the ogival shape is imparted to the end of the cylindrical shell, as a final shaping operation. Simultaneously adherence to the inner surfaces of the shell 1 of the upper end of the casing 4 and of the upper portion of the flash tube 7 is achieved. Thus the incendiary and explosive charges are fixed and the end of the tube 7 abuts against the inner surface of the ogival portion of the shell 1.

The ogival portion of the shell 1 is located forwardly of the charge 3 so that the walls of the shell 1 which are in contact with the bursting charge 3 are not de formed during theformation of the og ival portion and damage of the projectile. charge cannot occur.

The housing for the nose fuse caps 910 is obtained by a drilling operation and :the chips formed in the said operation are held in the cavity formed in the end portion of the flash tube 7 above the diaphragm 8. When the chips have been removed by a cleaning operation,

the disc 12 is inserted and the igniting charge 11 is introduced, the caps 9-19 being lastly inserted by forcing it with a pressure sufiicient to ensure the resistance of the whole assembly to the propulsive stresses. The nose fuse of the projectile is formed by a metal cap 9, containing a detonating charge 10, compressed, lacquered and protected by a disc 16 made of lead, tin or paper. The nose fuse is absolutely safe and cannot explode since, the igniting charge 11 acts as a pad, formed for instance with compressed gun powder, the cap 9-10 being insensitive to the shocks which can occur during the supply of the projectile to the guns or during general handling. During the travel of the projectile within the barrel of the gun, owing to the solid arrangement of the bursting and incendiary charges and to the duly compressed igniting mixtures, there is an absolute safety in the resistance of the projectile to the stresses caused by the inertia forces and by jerking movements. The explosion of the projectile takes place directly upon impact against light or heavy targets. Owing to the speed of the projectile, upon impact the cap 910 detonates, causing the ignition of the igniting charge 11, and consequent breaking of the disc 12 and of the diaphragm 8 in the end portion of the flash tube 7. The flash, through the flash tube 7, strikes the cover 5 of the detonator which, by the detonation, causes the explosion of the bursting charge 3 and the ignition of the incendiary charge 2. Owing to the hollow shape of the bursting charge, the use of this projectile is effective also against heavy and armoured targets which are pierced by the action oft-he explosion of the hollow charge 3, while an incendiary effect through the thus formed perforation is obtained by means of the burning gases of the incendiary charge 2. The projectile shown in Fig. l as compared with the other projectiles of incendiary and armourpiercing type, which are relatively sensitive and do not explode on im-- pact against light targets, is very sensitive so that theexplosion may occur also upon impact against thin metal sheets, such as for instance thin aluminum sheets. This projectile is thus highly efiieient also when used against light structures. This high effieiency is due to the particular features of the nose fuse 9-H which, while giv iug the maximum safety in respect to resistance, to handling and propulsive stresses, is very sensitive at the high speeds at which targets are hit by the projectile.

Fig. 2 shows a projectile having lesser armour-piercing'properties. ln'this figure like reference numerals the projectileshownand described above with reference to Fig. 1. In the projectile shown in Fig. 2 a greater burstns a n ndia e ect isf b a ned a t e a ran ement jn b 'ss use" burs ndr nd a duress o be us i. H I

Fig. 3 shows a projectile, having generally the same features of "the projectile of l, excepting in that it is provided with an armounpiercing' nose made of hard ened steel, screwed on th e shell 1, The nose fuse in this projectile, differs that shown in l and in that the detonating and igniting the aforedescribed arrangements, s s t in's a om essed 9i 3 ftuated and compressed' separately within a holder '14 which is inserted within the housing in the nose 'iSQand chamfered.

' I claim:

1. A projectile with an extra-sensitive nose fuze comprising a shell, an incendiary charge contained in the shell-and abutting against thebottom thereof, a bursting charge'coritained in the shell and supported by the said tncenaarychargaa detonator metal casing located withinsa'id bursting charge anda detonator in said casing, said detonator casinghaving the form of a cylindrical tube terminating in its upper portion in the form of a cup, the outer surface of said cup having a portion in contact with the upper'surface of said bursting charge and a portion in contact with the inner surface of said sheil'a t the zone where the shell has an ogival shape, an extra-sensitive head applied to the upper endof said shell to transmit the ignition to said detonator and bursting charge when the projectile strikes a target, said extra-sensitive nose fuze comprising a metal socket containing a detonating charge, an igniting mixture which supports said detonating charge and a supporting disc of inert material closing the downward side of said eX- tra-scnsitive head, said detonating' charge of the extrasensitive fuze bcing fired by direct impact against the target.

2. A projectile with an extra-sensitive nosefuze, comprising a shell having a lower cylindrical portion provided with a bottonrintegral therewith and an upper ogival portion with a central opening, the cylindrical portion and the ogival portion of theshell; being integral with each other, ari incendiary charge contained in said shell abutting the bottom thereof, a burstingcharge cupshaped in its front part and provided with an axial bore and supported by saidincendiary charge, a metal casing located in said bore, a detonator charge in said metal casing, said metal casing being a cylindrical tube exshaped portion or" said detonator casing, the upper portion of the cylindrical tube of the said conveyer being in contact with the inner end of said ogival portion of -the shell at said central opening, an extra-sensitive nose fuze arranged through pressing inside said opening and adapted to transmit the ignition to said detonator and bursting charge when the projectile strikes a target, a diaphragm inside said cylindrical tube of the conveyer adapted to be broken when the extra-sensitive nose fuze detonates, said extra-sensitive nose fuze comprising a metal socket containing a sensitive detonating charge, an ignition charge'supporting thesaid detonating charge of the nose fuzeand a supporting discof inert material closing downwardly said extra-sensitive nose fuzeand abutting against arecess made in the central opening of the ogival portion of the shell, said detonating charge of the nose'fuze being adapted to be fired by direct impact against the target.

3. A projectile with an extra-sensitive nose fuze, comprising a shell having a lower cylindrical portion provided with a bottom integral therewith and an upper ogival portion with a central opening, the cylindrical portion and the ogival portion being integral with each other, an incendiary charge contained in said shell and abutting the bottom thereof, a bursting charge having a central cavity in its upper portion and supported by said incendiary charge, a metal detonator casing located in said bursting charge, a detonator charge in said detonator casing, said metal casing having the form of a cylindrical tube introduced in said central cavity and terminating upwardly in a frusto-conical cup, the outer surface of said cup having a portion in contact with the uppersurface of said bursting charge and a portion in contact with the inner surface of said shell at the zone where the shell has an ogival zone, a flash conveyor in the form of a cylindrical tube ending downwardly in a reversed frusto-conical cup surrounding said last mentioned cylindrical tube, the outer surface of said reversed frusto-conical cup being in contact with the inner surface of the frusto-conical shaped portion of said detonator casing, the upper surface of the cylindrical tube of said conveyer being closed and in contact with the inner end of said ogival portion of the shell at said central opening, an extra-sensitive nose fuze arranged tln'ough pressing inside said central opening to transmit ignition to said detonator and bursting charge when the projectile strikes a target, said extra-sensitive nose fuze comprising a metallic socket containing a detonating sensitive charge, an ignition charge supporting said detonat-ing charge of the nose fuze and a supporting disc of inert-material closing downwardly said extra-sensitive nose fuze and abutting against a recess made in the central'opening of the ogival portion of the shell, said detonating charge of the nose fuze being adapted to be fired by direct impact against the target. I

4. A projectile with an extra-sensitive nose fuze, comprising a shell closed at its bottom and open at its top, an incendiary charge contained in said shell and-abutting said bottom, a bursting charge provided upwardly with central cavity supported by said incendiary charge, a metal-detonator casing-contained in said bursting charge, a detonator charge introduced in said detonator casing, said metal ca-sing having a cylindrical portion extending into said central cavity and provided upwardly with a portionvformed as a cylindrical cup, the outer surface of said cylindrical cup having a portion in contact with the upper surface of the bursting-charge and a portion in contact-with the inner surface of said shell, a nose of hardened steel screwed on the upper end of said shell. saidnose being provided with a central bore which narrows upwardly to run into a cavity of greater diameter than that of sa-id-.-central bore, an extra-sensitive nose fuze contained insaid cavity-of the nose to transmit-the ignition to'said detonator and=saidbursting charge when the projectile strikes against-a target, said extra-sensitive nose fuze comprising a metal'soeket containing a detonating sensitive charge, a holder containing an igniting ch rge, the said socket'containing the detonating charge of the nose fuze bei-ng also contained-in said-holder and abutting against-the said ignitingcharge-in said holder, the said holder being arranged through pressing inside said cavity and abutting 'against 'a recess made in the said cavity, said detonatinggcharge of'the fuzc being adapted to be fired by direct imp actagainst-the target.

5; A projectile with an extra-sensitive nose fuze comprising a shell, an incendiary charge contained in the sh ill, and abutting againstthe bottom thereof, a bursting charge contained in the shell and supported by the said in diary charge, adetonator metal casing located withingsaid bursting; charge :and a detonatorv in said casing,

said detonator casing having the form of a cylindrical tube terminating in its upper portion in the form of a cup, the outer surface of said cup having a portion in contact with the upper surface of said bursting charge and a portion in contact with the inner surface of said shell at the zone Where the shell has a ogival shape, an extra-sensitive nose fuze applied to the upper end of said shell to transmit the ignition to said detonator and bursting charge when the projectile strikes a target, said extra-sensitive nose fuze comprising a metal cap containing a detonating charge and a disc closing said cap underneath said detonating charge, an igniting charge supporting said cap and the detonating charge contained therein and a disc of inert material supporting said igniting charge and bearing on the projectile.

6. A projectile with an extra-sensitive nose fuze, comprising a shell closed at its lower portion and having at its upper portion an ogival shape with a central opening having a circular recess in the lower portion thereof, an incendiary charge contained in said shell abutting the bottom thereof, a bursting charge having a central bore supported by said incendiary charge, a metal detonator casing located in said bore, a detonator charge in said metal casing, said metal casing being a cylindrical tube extending the length of said central bore and having its upper portion in the form of an ogival cup, the outer surface of said cup being in contact with the upper surface of said hollow charge and with the inner surface of said shell, a flash conveyor in the form of a cylindrical tube ending downwardly with a reversed cup, the outer surface of the reversed cup being in contact with the inner surface of the cup-shaped portion of said detonator casing, the upper portion of the cylindrical tube of the said conveyor being in contact with the inner end of said ogival portion of the shell at said central opening, an extra-sensitive nose fuze arranged inside said opening and adapted to transmit the ignition to said detonator and bursting charge when the projectile strikes a target, a diaphragm inside said cylindrical tube of the conveyer adapted to be broken when the extra-sensitive nose fuze detonates, said extra-sensitive nose fuze comprising a metal cap containing a detonating charge, and a disc closing said cap underneath said detonating charge of the nose fuze, an igniting charge supporting said cap and the detonating charge contained therein and a disc of inert material supporting said igniting charge and bearing on the said circular recess of said central opening.

7. A projectile with an extra-sensitive nose fuze, comprising a shell closed at its lower portion and having at its upper portion an ogival shape with a central opening having a circular recess in the lower portion thereof, an incendiary charge contained in said shell and abutting the bottom thereof a bursting charge having a central cavity in its upper portion and supported by said incendiary charge, a metal detonator casing located in said bursting charge, a detonator charge in said detonator casing, said metal casing having the form of a cylindrical tube introduced in said central cavity and terminating upwardly in a frusto-conical cup, the outer surface of said cup being in contact with the upper surface of said bursting charge and with the inner surface of said shell, 2. flash conveyer in the form of a cylindrical tube ending downwardly in a reversed frusto-conical cup, the outer surface of said reversed frusto-conical cup being in contact with the inner surface of the frusto-conical shaped portion of said detonator casing, the upper surface of the cylindrical tube of said conveyer being closed and in contact with the inner end of said ogival portion of the shell at said central opening, an extra-sensitive nose fuze arranged inside said central opening to transmit ignition to said detonator and bursting charge when the projectile strikes a target, said extra-sensitive nose fuze comprising a metal cap containing a detonating charge and a disc closing said cap underneath said detonating charge, an igniting charge supporting said cap and the detonating charge contained therein and a disc of inert material supporting said igniting charge and bearing on the said circular recess of the opening.

8. A projectile with an extra-sensitive nose fuze, comprising a shell closed at its bottom and open at its top, an incendiary charge contained in said shell and abutting said bottom, a bursting charge above said incendiary charge with a central cavity supported by said incendiary charge, a metal detonator casing contained in said bursting charge, a detonator charge introduced in said detonator casing, said metal casing having a cylindrical portion extending into said central cavity and a portion formed as a cylindrical cup, the outer surface of said cylindrical cup being in contact with the upper surface of the bursting charge and with the inner surface of said shell, a nose of hardened steel screwed on the upper end of said shell, said nose being provided with a central bore which extends into a cavity of greater diameter than that of said central bore, an extra-sensitive nose fuze contained in said cavity of the nose to transmit the ignition to said detonator and said bursting charge when the projectile strikes against a target, said extra-sensitive nose fuze comprising a metal cap containing a detonating charge and a disc closing the cap underneath said detonating charge, an igniting charge supporting said cap and the detonating charge contained therein and a disc of inert material supporting said igniting charge and bearing on the bottom of the said cavity of the nose.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,153,513 Nixon Sept. 14, 1915 1,435,228 Hammond Nov. 14, 1922 1,968,134 Eschbach c July 31, 1934 2,304,152 Darden Dec. 8, 1942 2,426,997 Gray et al. Sept. 9, 1947 2,564,870 Weiss Aug. 21, 1951 2,669,182 Weiss Feb. 16, 1954 2,697,400 Liljegren Dec. 21, 1954 2,700,934 Thompson Feb. 1, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 561,927 Great Britain June 12, 1944 

